(REOPEN DEL 66)

Bedi termed the declaration of Chauhans name as nothing but a "political appointment." He said Chauhan as NIFT chief "defies all logic" and the announcement was a development he would call of a "very very low ebb". "It clearly shows the party (BJP)

Bedi termed the declaration of Chauhans name as nothing but a "political appointment."

He said Chauhan as NIFT chief "defies all logic" and the announcement was a development he would call of a "very very low ebb".

"It clearly shows the party (BJP) only keeps promoting their own professionals...I can only say god help this," he said.

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said Chauhan had been a BJP MP in the past and people paarangat (deft) in the subject should only be appointed to such institutions.

NIFT alumnus and fashion designer Rina Dhaka, however, chose to make a balanced statement.

She said had there been an another person and not like that of a stark contrasting background like Chauhan, there would have been no eyebrows raised.

"What I understand from the precedence of NIFT is that from its inception there is a ceremonial head who necessarily never has had any connection to fashion.

"From that perspective I dont know how much of a difference did it make in the past as well as what he (Chauhan) would do himself," she said.

Dhaka said the current debate and uproar should be an "opportunity" that people from fashion and related trades like garments and technical streams are brought in to make "serious difference" on the board of NIFT.

As per the NIFT Act 2006, the Chairperson of its Board of Governors shall be an eminent academician, scientist or technologist or professional, who is to be nominated by the Visitor, in this case the President of India.

Set up in 1986, the institute, which has centres across the country, comes under the Union Ministry of Textiles.PTI NES GSN GSN

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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